Product improvement or planned obsolescense?

[rback33]

Abrhaham Lincoln. And, I am pretty sure he spelled out "You".

LMAO.... if that was the only time I did that in that entire post.... I have some friends that are english and lit professors.... I confessed the other day that I am afraid to email them so as to not be picked apart even though they would never say anything... he admitted that a lot of people get that way and he has taken to being pretty informal in most emails to help put people at ease. It's amazing how difficult it can be to shift gears from IM'ing or texting my wife or others (I actually IM with customers to save phone calls) to real writing. And I knew "u" used the invisible smilies back there too.

 

[UncleBuck01]

I disagree with 'majority of' as well.

To believe people are simply too stupid to act in their own best interests, e.g., they keep shopping at Wal-Mart (this generation's favorite whipping boy) after getting shoddy merchandise, is nothing more than cultural arrogance.

Mikepa,
Have we met, and I just forgot ! How else would you know so much about my culture, my arrogance. You would not make such a general statement with out Knowing ! WOULD YOU, MIKE ?
So lets change the word STUPID, that is such a harsh word, (just like the word arrogant) change that to easily fooled, why is it SOOOOOoooo
hard to believe that the majority of consumers are easily fooled with SLICK, half truths, spun together in a 30 second commercial, played over and over and over. Its sells tractors, it sells cars, it sells viagra and it sells politicians. Seems to work ? In the last 20 yrs, we have had five elections for President of the US, can you give me the five last names of the winners of those last five elections, you can't - there is only two names on that list and after the next ( 6th) election its looking more and more that there will still be just two last names on that list. WHY, I would guess marketing has a lot to do with it, maybe a little .

 

[mjncad]

John Deere likes to change the hood design every time it changes the model designation. I am not sure why exactly but they do this on all their models. I guess they do this to help people identify what model tractor is in the field from a distance so everyone knows who has the newest tractor

If Deere still used metal hoods and fenders, it would be easy to tell who has the newest tractor as the oldest will have the most oxidized and faded paint compared to the newer ones.

 

[MikePA]

Mikepa,
Have we met, and I just forgot ! How else would you know so much about my culture, my arrogance.

When someone states they're smarter, more perceptive and less susceptible to 'deceptive' advertising than the majority of the population, that's arrogance. No need to meet someone to know that. Just need to read their words.

Per the TBN Terms of Service, take the politics somewhere else.

 

[UncleBuck01]

Mikepa,
Have we met, and I just forgot ! How else would you know so much about my culture, my arrogance. You would not make such a general statement with out Knowing ! WOULD YOU, MIKE ?

When someone states they're smarter, more perceptive and less susceptible to 'deceptive' advertising than the majority of the population, that's arrogance. No need to meet someone to know that. Just need to read their words.

Per the TBN Terms of Service, take the politics somewhere else.

MikePA
So the answer is yes, you would make such a statement WITHOUT KNOWING
Do you like putting words in other posters mouths, since I am old and forgetful, please find the QUOTE where I state(not you assuming what I mean) I'm smarter than everybody else. And while your looking, since you say I have "cultural arrogance"can you tell me what Culture that is, after all you should be able to figure that out from my words. You know what they say happens when people assume things

The posts by people who rail against companies making a profit, well, any company except the company they work for, are hard to comprehend. They reveal more about the poster than the companies they complain about.

The above quote kind of sounds like somebody thinks they are smarter than somebody else to use your own words "Isn't it the height of arrogance to sit in judgment .

IsnI't it the height of arrogance to sit in judgment of other people's purchases? Who are we to determine someone else's needs? How can we know if they 'need' certain controls on a washing machine? Answer, we can't.

Try listening to your own words, unless you believe those words don't apply to you.

 

[MikePA]

I said
"The underlying assumption of many of these posts is all consumers (except the posters) are idiots and have no power to resist marketing."

You said
"Change that word ALL Consumers too the Majority of consumers and now that is closer to what is happening"

Which results in the following statement, which, by your own words, you believe.
"The underlying assumption of many of these posts is the majority of consumers (except the posters) are idiots and have no power to resist marketing."

Therefore, unless you are including yourself in 'the majority of consumers', you must believe you're not an idiot and do have power to resist marketing, i.e., you're better than the majority of consumers.

Simple deductive logic.

 

[Bob_Young]

Well, before Mike and Uncle Buck take this thread completely over my head, I'd like to chime in.

Product improvements in tractors, incremental or otherwise, can be a very big deal if you have to work a 10-12 hour high-pressure day on a tractor for days on end. A cab with air can keep you fresh enough to avoid costly mistakes. Power shift can mean a real increase in productivity. 4WD makes tight uphill turns on steep hillsides a non-event compared to braking-clutching nail biters with 2WD. Simple things like placement of the hydraulic controls or the angle at which you have to push them will determine whether the bursitis flares up or the shoulder feels fine.

Most here don't work those kind of days on their CUTs, neither do I. So "big iron" improvements that are transferred to a CUT can appear to lack purpose.

But with Ag machines, they can be the whole story. The improvements can determine whether the job gets finished in the available window, whether damage is incurred in the process, whether time is lost due to equipment issues, whether the operator/owner comes to love or detest the machine, and whether the balance sheet reflects profit or loss. As a result the Ag manufacturers are in heated competition to deliver products that are as efficient, comfortable, reliable and capable as possible.

The skills and abilities obtained in this quest, especially if they give Brand X a notable advantage, will naturally filter down to design of lesser products such as CUTs. If it helps Brand X sell a few more machines, why not? The cost of design and development will be spread over a wider base....and who knows what feature might really "take off" for a certain CUT application.

We should be thankful this process continues. No one is forcing us to buy the latest and greatest; basic tractors continue to be offered by every manufacturer. Yet the "Deluxe" lines are continually updated. It could be that an improvement that you now greet with derision will be what keeps you in the tractorin' game a decade or two down the road. Much of what's now taken for granted on a modern Ag tractor, got its start the same way.

As good as the old JD4440 was; when under the gun, I'll choose a NH TM or a Case MX any day....that much I know.

FWIW
Bob

 

[UncleBuck01]

I said "The underlying assumption of many of these posts is all consumers (except the posters) are idiots and have no power to resist marketing." You said "Change that word ALL Consumers too the Majority of consumers and now that is closer to what is happening" Which results in the following statement, which, by your own words, you believe. "The underlying assumption of many of these posts is the majority of consumers (except the posters) are idiots and have no power to resist marketing." Therefore, unless you are including yourself in 'the majority of consumers', you must believe you're not an idiot and do have power to resist marketing, i.e., you're better than the majority of consumers. Simple deductive logic.

Simple deductive logic only if your watching the movie "Spaceballs" or maybe "Galaxy Quest" More like SIMPLE MIKE LOGIC = I said it, THEREFORE its true. Its nothing more than a Real Slick Attempt, (do you work in marketing ). You take two (2 of 19) words of mine, insert it in with your 23 words, then go on and attribute the whole 25 word statement to me. Nice try, BUT NO CIGAR

do you like putting words in other posters mouths, since I am old and forgetful, please find the QUOTE where I state(not you assuming what I mean) I'm smarter than everybody else.

So the answer is YES, you do like putting words in other posters mouths, 23 words to be specific.

 

[Rara Avis]

It's seems like this thread is on its way to be locked...

 

[dbear]

It might snow today.